Students must be actively involved in the process of learning for it to have personal meaning and importance in their lives. Teachers must also become critical thinkers, creative individuals, and decision makers in order to create more challenging learning environments. Teachers need to blend structure and spontaneity into meaningful learning…

Background information and exemplary units for teaching science in Georgia's middle school grades are provided. Discussed in the first section are: (1) the rationale for including science in middle school grades, focusing on science/society/technology, science/social issues, scientific reasoning, and scientific literacy; (2) role of science…

When teachers present students with real topics in science and social studies instead of artificial, abstract writing exercises, the students will both develop and extend their interests and learn to think and communicate clearly about them. Choosing such a topic provides an opportunity to discuss student interests. Next, list building and small…

Demonstrates that students who are taught physics concepts through active inquiry learn more readily than students taught the same concepts through vicarious inquiry method. Urges the active involvement of students in laboratory work. (LS)

Chess experts remember meaningful knowledge in the form of networks or patterns. Applied to mathematics instruction, effective classroom approaches can use investigation to identify patterns or rules. Described are a class activity and a small-group activity to investigate addition of signed numbers and linear relationships. (MDH)

Discusses Vee mapping, a technique to assist students in categorizing the relationship between the conceptual and procedural aspects of science. Presents a study to investigate elementary education majors' (n=27) use of the Vee heuristic and concept mapping for the construction of knowledge; attitudes toward learning science in collaborative…

The National Student Research Center (NSRC) is dedicated to promoting student research and the use of the scientific method in all subject areas across the curriculum, especially science and mathematics. The NSRC facilitates the implementation of a nationally recognized, innovative, and highly effective approach to instruction called the Student…

This study investigated the effects of Oregon's Lane County "Problem Solving in Mathematics" (PSM) materials on middle-school students' attitudes, beliefs, and abilities in problem solving and mathematics. The instructional approach advocated in PSM includes: the direct teaching of five problem-solving skills, weekly challenge problems,…

OUTDOOR EDUCATION IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL SUBJECT IN THE CURRICULUM, BUT IS A WAY OF LEARNING IN WHICH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS EFFECTIVELY USED TO TEACH THAT PART OF THE CURRICULUM THAT CAN BEST BE TAUGHT OUTDOORS, AND TO VITALIZE OTHER PARTS THROUGH FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCES. THE 363 SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES IN THIS BOOK ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE…

An 11th-grade interdisciplinary course combining English and American history examines United States history from the perspective of nine topics, rather than through the traditional, chronological-survey approach. Discovery learning and independent research are the focus of course method. At the start of the course, students are given nine…

This booklet is designed to help the preschool teacher understand the children in her classroom and assist them in social-emotional development. The booklet has four objectives: (1) to increase the teacher's understanding of the child's needs; (2) to discuss ways the teacher can provide a climate for healthy emotional growth; (3) to help the…

Describes the development and use of a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) laboratory in the English-language teaching unit at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Undergraduate students in a writing skills course were trained to use word processors which were available for the students' writing assignments. (LMO)

Presents an inquiry-based approach to promoting critical thinking in psychology. Maintains that the model emphasizes helping students ask thoughtful questions. Discusses research results supporting the use of questioning techniques to enhance critical thinking. (CFR)

This book describes the nurturing of a variety of learning styles through the use of the Logo programming approach, especially for persons with special needs. The book interweaves case descriptions of microcomputer uses with theoretical analysis, to provide educators with a framework for thinking about their students' thinking. Descriptions of the…

Two topics that are important for improving the teaching of science in the elementary grades are: (1) the availability of classroom science materials and equpment; and (2) teacher improvement in subject matter competencies, instructional skills, and familiarity with technology. A workshop was developed to help teachers develop instructional…